It's easy to take family for granted if you have one—even if you have a bad one. But Harry Potter, who never knew his parents, longs for the strong family connection that he's never found with the dastardly Dursleys.
As an orphan, Harry's always in search of a father figure. He also holds out a shred of hope that his father might still be present in some form. But Harry's desire for family connection is one reason Harry initially despises Sirius more than any other "villain" character he has encountered so far.
Harry's tired of being let down by people who should be caring for him. Seriously, parental units, step it up.
Questions about Family
- What does Harry learn about his family? Does he learn anything that surprises him?
- How does what Harry discovers about his family, especially his father, change the way he sees himself?
- Who acts like a father figure to Harry?
Chew on This
Sirius and Lupin are valuable to Harry because they knew his father. They can tell Harry stories about his dad that Harry would otherwise never know.
Although Harry will always be affected by his parents' death, he gets closer at coming to terms with it in this story. By living up to his parents' expectations, Harry will continue to hold fond memories of them in his heart.